Frank Slavin, as we have seen, was one of those boxers2 of the transition period who overlapped4. He had fought both with bare knuckles5 and with gloves. Both he and Peter Jackson were Australians, and both claimed the championship of that country. The contest at the National Sporting Club was said to be for the World’s Championship, but that is a phrase which on no occasion means very much. All that matters for our present purpose is that the match was an important one between two fine and evenly matched men.
Peter Jackson has been called the “first black Gentleman.” He was born in the West Indies in 1861, and went as a lad to Australia, where, in Sydney, he was a fellow-pupil with Slavin of Larry Foley, who in turn had sat at the feet of Jem Mace6. Indeed, in the past, Slavin had himself given Jackson lessons in boxing. The black had only once been beaten, and in 1891 he had fought a draw of sixty-one rounds with James J. Corbett. In those days an unlimited7 number of rounds—that is, a fight to a finish—had not been prohibited in all the states of the union, and this remaining custom of the Prize-Ring was much abused. The battle took place at the California Athletic8 Club, at San 122 Francisco, for a purse of 10,000 dollars. It was a poor affair. Jackson hit straight, Corbett crocked. But the white man was cleverer than the black at avoiding punishment by clinching9 at the psychological moment. Often he refused to break away until the hissing10 of the crowd became a positive menace. For the last fifteen rounds there was no boxing at all. The men were utterly11 exhausted12: Corbett had hurt an arm, two of Jackson’s ribs13 were broken. The referee14 at last declared the fight a draw. He might just as well have done so much earlier.
Every one who came in contact with him liked Peter Jackson for a quiet, well-behaved, sportsmanlike fellow without the slightest brag15 or bounce about him, which in their worst manifestations16 are so characteristic of his race. He was known for a first-rate boxer3, and Mr. Eugene Corri, the well-known referee, declares that he was the best boxer he has ever seen. He stood 6 feet 2 inches and weighed 13 stone 10 lb. in perfect condition, against Slavin’s 6 feet 1 inch and 13 stone 6 lb. There was only a year’s difference in their ages: both men had been finely trained, though some, disappointed in the result, say that Slavin was a shade over-trained. He was a big-boned, square-jawed rock of a man, hairy and ferocious18: while Jackson’s skin shone like black marble.
The match took place on May 30th, 1892. The National Sporting Club had not been long founded, and its theatre was packed to its extremest limit. The contest was to be one of twenty three-minute rounds, and four-ounce gloves were used. Jackson’s chief physical advantage was a slight superiority in reach, but it was known that Slavin’s strength was prodigious19, and his right-hand punch on the ribs, his best blow, was famous and terrific. He was a harder hitter than Jackson, and though up to the end of the sixth round his blows were not so many as his antagonist’s, they meant more. Before the men entered the ring that night, Slavin said (Mr. Corri tells us in his book, Thirty Years a Boxing Referee): “To be beaten by a black fellow, however good a fellow, is a pill I shall never swallow.”
It is unwise to say that sort of thing. 123
It has been said, too, that Slavin taunted20 Jackson in the ring. However that may be, the splendid black man was confident in his quiet, unassuming way, and he at all events held his tongue. His method of fighting too, was orthodox and cool. When at the beginning of the first round Slavin came charging at him, Jackson put out his long straight left, and the white man was shaken by the blow. It was his policy to get close to Jackson so that he could bring off his tremendous body-blow. It was Jackson’s policy to keep him away and to box at long range, and he did this. Some young man had once said to Jackson at the club: “They tell me you black chaps don’t like being hit in the stomach?” “Can you,” Jackson replied, “tell me of any white man who does?” But there is no doubt that negroes are, as a rule, weaker in the stomach than white men, unless like Jack1 Johnson, the more recent champion, they especially cultivate the abdominal21 muscles. No doubt Jackson knew, too, that one of Slavin’s blows was worth two of his: but he boxed with quiet assurance and defended himself with vigilant22 care. Again and again Slavin rushed at him and tried to force his way close in: again and yet again Jackson propped23 him off, reserving his strength while Slavin dissipated his. Slavin was the favourite when the men entered the ring, but it is notorious that the greatest gamblers will, in boxing, back a white man because he is white.
Peter Jackson did not entirely24 avoid all the white man’s blows, but his footwork was wonderfully good, and even when he failed to guard against them, he generally managed to be moving away when a blow landed, so that most of its power was lost. He seldom gave Slavin a chance to put in one of his regular smashers. And in the meantime the accumulated force of the black’s many but lesser25 hits, together with the energy wasted by Slavin in futile26 charges across the ring, weakened the white man. Up to the sixth round it was any one’s fight, though Peter Jackson was an easy winner on points up to that time. But what are points, after all, against one punch whether it is deliberate or “lucky,” which ends a fight? And Jackson very nearly fell a 124 victim to just such a punch. He had never relaxed his vigilance, he never presumed on his opponent’s weakness. He attacked when he saw a safe opening, and for the rest contented27 himself with holding Slavin well away with that beautiful long straight left. And yet at the end of the sixth round he was all but beaten. Frank Slavin was getting desperate. The men were fighting for a big money prize, but it is unlikely that the ￡1750 which would be the winner’s share was foremost in the white man’s mind as he strove in the ring. Jackson was a good black fellow, but he was black, and Slavin’s pride of race was very strong in him. Rightly or wrongly, he felt that there was a peculiar28 shame in accepting defeat from a nigger. But he knew that he would have to make haste. Good as his condition was, these six hard rounds had taken much of his strength. He drew every breath with labour: and though many of a boxer’s movements, whether in offence or defence, are instinctive29, the work was very hard work, his light boxing boots were like the boots of a diver, his knees shook a little as he stood still. He was very weary. But he meant to win. He gathered himself up and hurled30 himself at Jackson, and by sheer determination and weight forced the black across the ring to the ropes, and then with all his weight behind it he sent in his tremendous body-blow. Mr. Corri, who was sitting near the ring-side, tells us that it “seemed to spring from the calves31 of his legs and upwards32 to the muscles of his right shoulder and right arm.” And, “I have never seen such an expression of consummate33 deadliness upon a human face as that which spread across the features of Slavin at this crucial stage.”
The blow doubled Jackson up “like a knife.” It caught him just under the heart and the sound of it was heard throughout the hall. The black man gasped34 and reeled. The onlookers35 were completely silent save for an involuntary “Oh!” which here and there forced itself to utterance36. Had Slavin hit Jackson but half a minute earlier in the round he must have won. The black was helpless. Slavin must have finished him. As it was, before the white man could follow his advantage, the round ended, and 125 Jackson had a minute in which to recover. In his corner, and loud enough for Mr. Corri to hear him, Jackson said to his seconds, “If he hits me like that again, I’m done.” And his seconds worked on him, sponging, massaging37, fanning, doing all that they could to restore him. When time was called for the seventh round Jackson, though no doubt weak, had recovered. He appeared to be strong and fit again, and appearances in these circumstances are beneficially deceitful. And in despite of his momentary38 elation39 in the last round, Frank Slavin came up tired.
But Jackson had to be careful, and he knew it. He did not lead, but kept his guard rigid40, and “used the ring”—that is, by brilliant footwork he kept out of danger, avoiding the ponderous41 and slackening rushes of his adversary42. When the eighth round started, Peter Jackson had quite recovered, and Slavin was slower and more weary than ever. His weakness was evident. But it must not be thought that his was a mere43 exhibition of brute44 strength run to seed. Far from it. The white man boxed well, and he, too, kept out of danger. In the next round, however, Jackson sparred with great brilliancy, piling up many points, while just before the end he shot out a particularly good left. Slavin was obviously desperate now, and grew careless of the punishment he received, staking everything upon the chance of bringing off another mighty45 blow.
And yet weary as both were by now, they came up quite jauntily46 for the tenth round. Slavin shot out a fierce left, but it only just touched Jackson as he moved back. He rushed at the black man again, and this time Jackson avoided him altogether. Thrice Slavin dashed in with furious left and right quickly following each other. And the third time he tried this, instead of stepping back, Peter Jackson came in to meet him, and ducking Slavin’s blows, planted his own left, followed by the right in immediate47 succession, on the white man’s jaw17. The second blow came over with terrific force, and Slavin reeled. But he still stood and swung wildly at his man without thought of guarding, his senses almost gone, and only a desperate pluck to keep him from falling. Jackson followed him and rained blows upon him, until 126 Slavin stood still hardly able to lift his hands. Whereupon Jackson, good sportsman that he was, turned to Mr. Angle, who was refereeing48 the match, and raised his eyebrows49. “Experience,” say the Annals of the National Sporting Club, “has repeatedly shown that there is always a punch left in a big man, even when he appears disabled. Dallying50 at such a crisis is dangerous. Jackson, however, turned round in the most chivalrous51 manner and looked at the referee. The rules of the game were beyond dispute. Mr. Angle said: “Fight on.”4
There was nothing more to be said: “I must finish him, then—sorry, Frank,” and with obvious distaste he went in. Even then in his anxiety not to hurt the man he did not hit hard, and Slavin took five blows before he went down. His courage was exemplary. He could so easily have fallen. He stood, however, and took the blows like the man he was. At the fifth he fell forward on his knees and in a blind, instinctive effort to rise again, not knowing what he was doing, he clutched Peter Jackson round the legs. But he could not rise. The ten seconds were counted. For the first time in his life Frank Slavin was beaten, for the first time knocked out.
And Peter Jackson took his victory quite calmly. Without a trace of swagger he returned to his corner, and, later, helped to carry Slavin, who was really ill, out of the ring.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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boxers
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| n.拳击短裤；（尤指职业）拳击手( boxer的名词复数 )；拳师狗 | |
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boxer
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| n.制箱者，拳击手 | |
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overlapped
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| _adj.重叠的v.部分重叠( overlap的过去式和过去分词 )；（物体）部份重叠；交叠；（时间上）部份重叠 | |
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knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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6
mace
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| n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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clinching
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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referee
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| n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人 | |
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brag
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| v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的 | |
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manifestations
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| n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式） | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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abdominal
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| adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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35
onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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36
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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massaging
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| 按摩，推拿( massage的现在分词 ) | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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jauntily
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| adv.心满意足地；洋洋得意地；高兴地；活泼地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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48
refereeing
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| [计]仲裁，审稿工作，稿件评审 | |
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49
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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50
dallying
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| v.随随便便地对待( dally的现在分词 )；不很认真地考虑；浪费时间；调情 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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